The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-10-02
Thankful Blossom
a Romance Of the Jerseys, l779.
By BRET HARTE
copyrighted by Houghton, Min'ln & Co, and
published by arrangement with them.1
By BRET HARTE
CHAPTER II.

Mistress Thankful remained NJ the wall
until her lover had disappeared. Then
she turned, n mere lissom shadow in that
uncertain light, and glided under the
caves Of the shed, and thence from tree 20
tree of the orchard, lingering a moment
under each as the trout fingers in the
shadow OF the bank in passing a shallow,
and so reached the farm house and the
kitchen door, where she entered. Thence
by a back staircase she slipped 10 her
own bower, from whose window half an
hour before she had taken the signaling
light. This she lit again, and placed upon
a chest Of drawers; and, taking of her hood
and a shapeless sleeveless mantle she had
worn, went to the mirror, and proceeded
10 readjust a high horn comb that had
been somewhat displaced by the captains
arm. and otherwise after the fashion Of
her sex 10 remove all traces of a previous
lover. II may be here observed that n
man is very apt 10 come from the sma est
encounter with his dulcinea distract,
bored, or shamefaced; TO forget that his
cravat is awry, or that a long blonde hair
is adhering to his button. But as 20
mademoiselle-well, looking at Miss
Pussy's sleek paws and spotless face,
would you ever know that she had been
at the cream Jug
Thankful was, / think, satisfied with
her appearance. Small doubt but she had
reason for it.. And yet her gown was a
mere slip Of Aowsred chintz, gathered at
the neck, and falling at al angle Of fifteen
degrees 10 within an inch Of a short petit
coat Of gray flannel. But SO surely is the
complete mold Of symmetry indicated in
the pose or line Of any single member,
that looking at the erect carriage Of her
graceful brown head, or below 10 the
curves that were lost in her shapely
ankles. or the little feet that hid them
selves in the broad buckled shoes, you
knew that the rest was as genuine and
beautiful.
Mistress Thankful, after a pause,
opened the door, and listened. Then she
softly slipped down the back staircase 10
the front hall. It was dark, but the
door Of the company room, or parlor, was
family indicated by the light that
streamed beneath il. She stood still for
q moment hesitatingly, when suddenly q
hand grasped her own, and half led, half
dragged her into the sitting room opposite.
II was dark. There was a mOmentary
fumbling for the finder box and flint, a
muttered oath over one or two impeding
articles Of furniture, and Thankful
laughed. And then the light was lit, and
her father, a gray, wrinkled man Of 90,
still holding her hand, stood before her.
you nave been out, mistressl'
Il have, " said Thankful.
And not alone" growled the old man,
angrily.
NO" said Mistress Thankful, with a
smile that began in the corners Of her
brown eyes. ran down into the dimpled
curves of her mouth and finally ended in
the sudden revelation Of her white teeth
mo, not alone.
With whom" asked the old man,
gradually weakening under her strong,
saucy presence.
We'll, father" said Thankful, taking
Q seat on a table and swinging her little
feet somewhat ostentatiously toward him,
II was with Capt. Allan Brewster, Of the
Connecticut contingent"
That man.
THAT man.
~ forbid you seeing him again"